Live Prey for Sand Boa

[BP_okay]

I have read by many posters here avoid live prey and I completely agree why that would be a good idea, but the petstore where my new sand boa came from (he's 3 years old), only fed him live mice. They said that he was a finicky eater and that's why they didn't feed him ft. I am scared that he might get hurt by a mouse some day. Is there any way to not feed him live prey?

[never25]

you could use tongs to move the ft mouse around. or you could try fresh killed

[Chu'Wuti]

It may take a little time to switch him over, but it is possible in most cases. I won't say all, but most.

Ask your petstore to let you have some of the used bedding from their mice cages--find out when they clean, and go in then with a plastic bag and get a nice pile of it (feces & all--you want it to smell like live mice). When you thaw the F prey, thaw it on the bedding so that it picks up some of the scent. After the F prey is thoroughly thawed, heat the head more so that your snake can get a good heat signature from it. Then, as Never25 suggested, move the F/T mouse to make it seem alive when you offer it.

Good luck! Let us know how it goes. If this doesn't work, come back and we'll try some other tricks.

[BP_okay]

Great Advice! I had never heard or thought of the the thawing the mouse with the mouse bedding. Seems doable and really smart. Do have a ? about fresh killed? Do I kill him or does the pet store do it? If I do it, what's the best method?

Thanks again for the advice. What kind of snakes do you guys have?

[Chu'Wuti]

Personally, I prefer to buy pre-killed F prey and avoid having to pre-kill them myself. However, there is a thread where this was discussed recently . . . can't remember the thread title, tho'.

[BP_okay]

Yep, I am right there with ya on the pre-killed prey. My first step will be to try to a combo of the tricks you guys have been giving me, and check out that thread. I definitely don't want to kill a mouse in my apartment. Don't mind throwing a live one in for him, but just don't need the extra cleanup.

[Chu'Wuti]

Here's the title of the thread where killing was discussed: How do you F/K

I just searched for "CO2" because the use of CO2 (carbon dioxide) as a killing agent was discussed. They posted a link for making a kill device, too. F/K means fresh killed.

On the other hand, if you decide you don't want to breed and kill your own prey, you can buy F in bulk from several prey breeding operations. I buy from a place the next state down from me. Their animals are always clean, neatly packed, and arrive still frozen solid either the day after I order or two days after I order. Shipping is fairly expensive, but that's due to the need for special packaging with dry ice and overnight shipping, and it's still lots less expensive per prey item than buying 1-3 frozen prey animals from a pet store.

Good luck!

[BP_okay]

Oh wow! That makes alot of sense and it doesn't sound messy at all. I am going to start researching CO2. It was so nice of you to find that thread for me....you are so nice. I was thinking that I would give live prey for the first few meals in his new home, maybe try F/K, and then work down to F/T warmed up in ziploc baggy in hot water. That way, it's a gradual change for him.

Thanks again for the help :)

[Chu'Wuti]

You are welcome! Enjoy!